Amarinder raises eviction of Punjab farmer from Gujarat

Amritsar: Congress leader Amarinder Singh today said despite a promise by Narendra Modi, the Gujarat government has not withdrawn the petition against the Punjabi farmers from the Supreme Court.

Singh asked his rival on Amritsar seat-- BJP leader Arun Jaitley-- despite the commitment made by Modi at a rally in Jagraon in Punjab on February 23, nothing has been done by the Gujarat government till now, Singh told reporters.

"We want Jaitley to clear the air on such an important issue that touches every Punjabi including him (Jaitley) since he also claims to be one," he said, while adding, Jaitley owed an answer primarily for three reasons.

"One, he is an MP from Gujarat. Two he has been claiming to have roots in Punjab and three he is now contesting from the most important city of Punjab that is representative of its history and culture," he said.

Modi had said,"It is a deliberate misinformation being spread by vested interested. No Sikh farmer will be evicted from Gujarat. If any officer tries to do that, that officer will no longer be around."

"I am not asking much from Jaitley," he said, while adding, "It is a simple question as to why Gujarat government is not prepared to withdraw its appeal in the Supreme Court against the Gujarat High Court verdict that is in favour of Punjabi farmers?"
Farmers from Punjab and Rajasthan were settled in Kutch district after 1965 war. About three years ago, the Kutch Collector invoked the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act of 1948 and froze the accounts of several non-Gujarati farmers. The farmers approached the Gujarat High Court, which ruled against the Collector`s action.
The state government decided to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court.